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(ModeL) G; H. SPRING.

RUFFLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES. No. 246,043. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

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I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. SPRING, OF BATH, NEW YORK.

RUFFLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,043, dated August 23, 1881.

' Application filed June 14,1881. .(Modeh) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. SPRING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bath, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ruffling Attachments for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective of the ruffler; Fig. 2, a front-side view, showing the position of the parts when the needle-bar is raised; Fig. 3, a front-side view, showing the position of the parts when the needle-bar is lowered and Fig. 4, a top view of the ruffling and the holding blade broken from the ruffling-frame and presser-foot, and showing the positions which they bear with respect to each other when the needle-bar is lowered.

My invention has reference to ruftling attachments for sewing-machines; and it consists in the sliding frame and the construction and combination of parts hereinafter particularly described, and then sought to be specifically defined by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the presser-foot bar, and B the presser-foot, which is secured to the bar by means of a setscrew, G, or other suitable means, and the end thereof may be shaped so as to form a face-hemmer, D.

To the end of the presser-foot, extendingin the direction of the needle-bar, there is con nected a blade, E, which, is designed to hold down the material to which the ruffling material is to be sewed, and the end of the blade is provided with a slot or opening, a, for the passage of the needle therethrough.

From the presser-foot bar or the top of the shank F of the presser-foot, in the direction of the needle-bar and. so as to cross the same, there extends an arm, G, which has at its outer end a horizontally-slotted shoulder, H, and two slots, one above the other, are formed in the shank of the presser-foot.

The frame I is composed of vertical bars J and K, the bar K being inclined or beveled outwardly toward its lower end on its inside face and the two connected together at top and bottom, so as to form a recess or groove between them, in which the needle-bar may slide. The

frame is also provided with the horizontal bars L, the two upper ones fitting into the slot in the shoulder H and the upper slot in the shank of the presser-foot, while the other one fits into the lower slot in the shank F. The frame is thus supported and is free to slide from side to side. It is also provided with an arm, M, from which the ruffling or feeding blade N projects toward the needle-bar, the end of the blade bein g provided with the needle slot or opening I).

A finger, O, is pivoted to the bar J, preferably in a slot therein, and its lower end bears against a lever, P, by whichit is operated. The lever P is fulcrumed to the under side of the arm M, and toward its outer end, on its top face, is provided with a tooth, which is to engage with serrations on the under face of the arm M, so as thereby to hold the lever at any point desired. By throwing the finger in toward the needle-bar the stroke of the sliding frame is lengthened so as to increase the fullness of the ruffle, and it follows that by drawing it out or throwing it in as far as desired the. fullness of the ruffle can be regulated.

The frame is moved to and fro by the needlebar Q, the needleclamp R of which fits between the bars J and K. As the needle-bar descends the needle-clamp presses again st the bar J, or, rather, against the finger O, projecting from that bar, and forces the frame to one side, thereby carrying the ruffiing or feeding plate back from oif the plait and to the point where it is to begin its feed. On the upstroke of the needle-bar the clamp presses against the bar K and forces the frame to that side, thereby effecting the feed. The stroke of the frame is such that the feeding-blade will not recede to begin its feed until the needle has entered the material, and will not complete its feed until the needle has withdrawn from the material.

In the drawings the material that forms the ruftling is represented as passing through the slotin the face-hemmer, over the holding-blade,

and under the feeding or ruffling blade but it will be understood that, if the rufflin g is to be stitched by the machine to the other material, the material to which it is to be stitched will pass under the holding-blade.

Having described myiuvention,WhatIc1aim by bars J K, finger O, for regulating the size is of the slot, and lever P, for operating finger O,

1. The combination, with the presser-foot, substantially as set forth. of the sliding frame I, having a vertical slot In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 5 formed by bars J K, and a pivoted finger, 0, presence of two Witnesses.

for regulating the size of the slot, and through it the fullness of the ruffies, substantially as GEORGE SPRING set forth. Witnesses:

2. The combinatioh of the presser-foot, the I R. A. lvIERoUR, 1o sliding frame I, having a vertical slot formed IRA R. MORLEY. 

